


Apple Juice, Chips, and Bandages

by Weevilo707



Series: Davekat Week 2016 [3]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Day 3, Humanstuck, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, M/M, davekat - Freeform, davekatweek, just pretty much canon dave's homelife, they're very very light implications
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-08-18 05:50:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8151257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weevilo707/pseuds/Weevilo707
Summary: Every time he comes in he gets the same three things. A bottle of apple juice, a bag of chips, and bandages.





	1. Chapter 1

Every time he comes in he gets the same three things. A bottle of apple juice, a bag of chips, and bandages.

It’s almost always late at night too, around closing time. You don’t know where he lives, but sometimes you catch sight of him crossing the busy highway in front of the store. You don’t know how long the pattern had been going on for either. You only started noticing because Kankri got a job and your dad doesn’t want you home alone for six hours after school, so you’ve had to start staying with him at the shop. 

It makes you wonder what kind of parents are cool with their kid walking across a highway at ten thirty at night three times a week.

You’re sitting behind the counter when he walks in, right on cue. He didn’t come yesterday so you were pretty sure he would today. He doesn’t tend to skip too many in a row. It's about two at the most. He heads straight back to the fridges, and you’re sure he’s learned where everything is a while ago. Or at least, everything he gets.

It’s late, no one else is in the store right now and your dad’s in the back doing inventory shit. You guess that throws him off when he walks up with his things because he doesn’t immediately dump it all on the counter.

“I can ring you up,” you tell him. You can’t see much of his expression behind the oversized shades he always wears (it can’t be a good idea walking around at night with those) but he looks a little skeptical.

“You seem a little young to be working a register dude,” he says, and you hadn’t realized until that moment that you’ve never actually heard him speak before. He just comes in, gets his juice, chips and bandages and leaves.

“You seem a little young to be walking around by yourself at night,” you say.

“Nah,” is all he says to that. He puts his items on the counter though, and you’re able to ring them up without any problem. You’ve seen your dad do it a million times at this point. You aren’t quite sure what makes you do it, but when he’s digging around for his money you slip a bar of chocolate into the bag as well. Your dad lets you take shit all the time, it’s not a big deal. 

He doesn’t seem to notice, just taking his bag after giving you the money. You hand him his change and he’s out the door without another word.

He doesn’t come in for another two days after that, but that’s normal. He has a lot of gaps like that, but you can’t help but be a bit worried that you somehow drove him away by slipping in the candy bar. When he does show up you’re a bit relieved for some reason, you aren’t entirely sure why. It just would have been strange if he stopped coming like that. You would have felt bad if he had to walk even further for some other convenience store to get his apple juice, chips, and bandages.

You’re reading when he comes up to the counter and your dad is here this time. There’s no excuse for you to talk to him, so you don’t. It barely takes your dad a second to ring it all up, you’re pretty sure he’s memorized it by this point. You think he starts punching it in before he even gets to the counter actually, since it's always the same. 

You expect him to take his bag and leave like he always does, and that’s almost exactly what happens. There’s a quick moment after your dad hands him his bag where he hesitates, just standing there for a few seconds. You’re pretty sure he’s looking at you from behind his shades, and you almost think he’s going to say something.

He doesn’t though. Instead he just turns and leaves without a word and you’re a little disappointed. You don’t know why, it’s not like he has any reason to talk to you, even if you just gave him something for free out of the blue. He probably figured it was a mistake on your part. 

You don’t have any reason to talk to him either. He’s just another one of the many nameless customers your dad has every day. You’re just curious as to why he only ever buys those same three things.

You wonder why he needs so many bandages and wears sunglasses all the time.

Things are completely back to how they were after that. He shows up every few nights, gets his apple juice, chips, and bandages, and leaves without any sort of acknowledgement. It’s practically something you can set your watch by.

You aren’t sure how long it is after you gave him the chocolate, maybe a couple weeks, when one day you’re back at the fridges restocking some of the drinks. Your dad doesn’t make you work, but it gets boring as fuck sometimes and he’ll throw you some cash whenever you do help out.

Funnily enough, you’re restocking the apple juice. You’re pretty sure at least half of your stock of it is bought by that one kid. You know for a fact your dad wouldn’t have to order as much if he wasn’t around. You guess you can always be thankful for the business.

You reach out for another bottle and your fingers slip through air instead. When you look, you’re more than a little surprised to see the kid you were just thinking about, the juice you were reaching for in his hands.

“You’re here early,” you end up just blurting out. It’s none of your business to comment on, but it’s true. It’s not even five yet, you don’t think you’ve ever seen him here when the sun was still up. He seems a bit taken back by what you say, but after a moment he nods.

“Yeah, so?” he asks and you just shake your head, turning to grab one of the bottles of apple juice from the back of the fridge. They're a bit difficult to get to past all of the ones you've restocked, but you manage it after a moment. 

“Nothing. Here, this one’s cold,” you say, holding the bottle out for him. He takes it, putting the other one back down in the crate.

“Thanks,” he says simply before turning to go grab his chips and bandages. You go back to restocking once he’s no longer at your side, and it’s not long before he’s back out the door again. He doesn’t come again that night, but you don’t expect him to. He’s never come twice in one day, and why would he? Why would he have come so much earlier today than he usually does though?

A part of you also wonders why he doesn’t just buy the shit in bulk at an actual grocery store or something. It’d be a whole fucking lot easier than walking here three times a week. Still, it’s none of your business.

There’s another part of you that’s kind of glad he doesn’t though.

You don’t get another chance to talk to him for a long time. He keeps coming at his normal time and your dad doesn’t leave you alone in the front by yourself often. You _do_ get a few more chances to slip little things in his bag, some more candy, packets of gum, a cheap little crow figure left over from Halloween that you noticed him eyeing. You still aren’t entirely sure why you’re doing this. You don’t even know his name. 

There’s something about him that just seems sad though. You want to give him something to brighten his day, even if it’s only a little bit.

You’re lying with your eyes closed and your head on the counter the next time you get a chance to talk to him. It’s closing time, your dad’s doing a last minute check in the back and locking up everything while you wait.

“Hey,” you’re startled up by the voice. It’s the kid, and you’re confused. He comes late, but never right at closing. When you look, he’s not holding anything either. He just came yesterday too, you didn’t expect to see him at all.

“Uh, you can go grab your stuff real quick if you want, it’s no big deal,” you tell him. You figure the only reason he’d talk to you is to ask if it was okay, since you’re pretty much closed and all. You’re surprised when he shakes his head.

“Nah, I just wanted to ask you something,” he says and you just sort of nod.

“Yeah?”

“Why do you keep giving me stuff?” he asks and he doesn't sound mad or anything, just confused. It’s a fair question but it still catches you off guard, just like everything else about this. You kind of thought it was something neither of you were ever going to mention. After the first few times where he didn’t say anything, you stopped thinking he would.

“I don’t know, you’re always in here and I wanted to,” you tell him. It’s pretty much the truth after all. He looks really confused by that.

“You’re gonna get in trouble if your dad finds out,” he says. You quickly wave off that concern, because that’s the last thing you’re worried about.

“Maybe if I gave everyone free shit, but he lets me take little things all the time and sometimes I just give them to you, it’s not a big deal,” you explain. That just seems to frazzle him even more for some reason.

“Is there something you want from me?” he asks, suspicion clear in his voice and you quickly shake your head.

“No, of course not,” you tell him, not sure why he would think something like that.

“Then why are you being nice to me? I don’t fucking get it,” he says and he sounds _so confused_ you have no idea how to respond. You don’t get a chance to say anything even if you could think of something, because you both end up jumping at the sound of the door to the back opening and your dad coming back into the front of the shop.

“Alright Karkat, sorry for keeping you here so late, we can go home now,” he says, and then you see his eyes fall on the other boy. He looks surprised for just a moment before he smiles at him.

“Hello there, do you need something?” your dad asks, and you watch as he quickly shakes his head.

“No, I was just leaving,” he says, starting towards the door.

“Do you live close? It’s rather late to be walking around by yourself, we could drop you off if you’d like,” your dad offers. You hope he says yes, and there’s a small moment where it looks like he’s considering it before he’s shaking his head again.

“It’s cool, thanks anyway,” he says and he’s out the door like a shot. Your dad shakes his head a bit and you grab your bookbag from where it’s on the ground behind the counter and leave.

You really wish you could have gotten his name at least.

He doesn’t come in again for two whole weeks. You started getting worried around day four, and by day ten you were sure you chased him off for good. Your dad doesn’t ask you about what happened, but you think he knows something up. You’re pretty sure he can put together that guy running out of here and not coming back afterwards, as well as the down mood you’ve been in since then. You don’t know why the hell you care, but you do. You wanted to help him, for him to have something besides apple juice and chips and fucking bandages.

Now he probably doesn’t even have that, and you’re so worried about what he could have possibly needed so many bandages for that he’s not getting anymore. 

You don’t even notice him at first when he does come back. You heard the door open but you don’t bother to look up to see who it is. You’ve pretty much accepted the fact that he’s not coming back at this point, even if you wish that wasn’t the case.

It’s not until you see a bottle of apple juice, chips, and bandages get placed on the counter do you look up with a start. You’re pretty sure he’s trying not to look at you, and you hear your dad ring him up quickly and efficiently.

You want to say something, but you don’t know what (I’m sorry? Welcome back? Where the hell _were_ you I was so worried?). It doesn’t matter, because your dad finishes up the transaction and he walks away before you can decide. You try not to let the way you deflate be too noticeable.

“Oh drat,” your dad says, and you don’t bother to look up at him from where you’re leaning on the counter, instead just making a vaguely questioning noise. “I messed up that boy’s change. Karkat, could you run this out to him for me before he gets too far?” he asks, holding out a couple of coins. You’re immediately sitting up again and nodding.

“Uh, yeah sure thing,” you say, grabbing the money from him and possibly rushing outside a bit faster than you needed to. He’s not far at all, he hasn’t gotten a chance to cross the busy highway yet.

“Hey, wait a second,” you call. He’s spun around facing you before you can even blink, surprise and confusion all over his face.

“What is it?” he asks, looking like he expects you to accuse him of stealing or something.

“My dad messed up your change, here,” you say, holding out the small handful of coins. He doesn’t do anything for a moment, but then he slowly seems to relax a bit.

“Oh, thanks,” he says as he takes the change. You should head back inside now, that was all you needed to do. 

“What’s your name?” you ask, because you’ve wanted to know for a long time and you don’t know when your next chance to talk to him will be.

“Dave,” he answers simply, and you expected it to be kind of disappointing but it's not. It’s a simple name after wondering for so long, but it fits him somehow.

“I’m Karkat,” you tell him because it’s the polite thing to do and he nods.

“I know, I’ve heard your dad talking to you before,” he says.

“Oh,” you mutter. You guess you should have realized that.

“Sorry, for before,” Dave says quietly, and you didn’t expect that at all. You kind of thought he was going to pretend it didn’t exist. You still don’t quite understand what was going on or why he was so freaked out by you being nice, but you figure now’s not the time to pry.

“It’s okay, didn’t mean to upset you or anything,” you say.

“You didn’t,” he says, and that’s surprising. He’d seemed pretty upset when he left. “It was kinda cool, finding whatever you put in the bag when I got home.”

That’s even nicer to hear than you thought it would be. You were really upset when you thought that instead of being a nice thing like you wanted it just ended up bothering him. Knowing he did actually like the little gifts is a huge relief.

You hesitate a moment, wanting to ask something but not sure if he’d say yes. You figure it wouldn’t hurt to try. The worst he can say it no.

“Do you wanna go back inside? There’s not all that much to do but there’s an old TV in the break room we can try to get to work. My dad can drive you back home once we closed so that you don’t have to walk at night,” you suggest. You really, really hope he says yes. You’re pretty sure he’s not going to.

“Yeah okay, that sounds cool,” he says. You try to keep yourself from looking too shocked.

“Oh, awesome,” you say before you both head back into the shop. Your dad doesn’t look surprised at all to see Dave with you. “We’re gonna be in the break room,” you tell him.

“Have fun,” he says simply as he continues wiping down the counter.

You have a pretty good feeling that you will.


	2. Chapter 2

Every time you go to the little convenience store by your apartment you get the same three things. A bottle of apple juice, a bag of chips, and bandages. 

The apple juice is because it is clearly the most superior of all the drinks, and the chips are because they’re cheap and taste good and can hole up in your closet for a long time if you don’t feel like eating them right away. It’s always good to have extra hiding around in the times when food gets a little short. 

The bandages were because. Well, you guess you don’t have that good of a reason for the bandages. You have a lot, more than you could ever use. All different kinds piled up in the back of your closet, just because. It wasn’t like they were completely unused, sometimes you messed up in training, but nowhere near enough that would justify buying a new packet like three times a week. 

That doesn’t stop you from grabbing a new one every time you go down to the store though. You _should_ stop, it's a waste of money even if money isn't a problem, but you don’t. Something about it makes you feel safer in a weird way. You can relax some whenever you add a new packet to the pile. You’re not ever going to run out if you need them. 

Plus, the routine is nice. You grab the same three things, three times a week and you get to watch your collection grow with something you guess is kinda like satisfaction. That’s probably the best way to describe it. You just feel a little bit of relief, a little less tense whenever you get another package of bandages you can hole away. The same goes with the juice and chips too. Even if you’re not hungry getting them is important, because sooner or later you will be hungry, and then you’ll get to worry a little bit less about what to eat. 

You like your routine. You like that it’s predictable and easy and you’ve set it and no one else messes it up. 

At least that is until someone else _does_ go and mess it up. 

You’ve noticed him in the shop before, usually grumpy and bored looking while he sits behind the counter. His dad is the owner you think, they look really similar. It has to be his dad. He was never anything for you to pay attention to for longer than a few seconds before his dad rang you up and you could leave. 

Except one day his dad wasn’t at the counter, and he was saying that he could ring you up. Even then you didn’t think much of it. He said he could so you figured to just go along with it rather than arguing. The price came out the same, so you figured he knew what he was doing. It wasn’t anything to stick out to you until you got home and started putting your stuff away. 

There was a chocolate bar at the bottom of your bag, instantly sticking out from the three items you’ve come to memorize. Your first thought was to go give it back so that they didn’t think you were trying to steal things. It was already late though and honestly it was only a chocolate bar, going back seemed more trouble than it was worth. Plus, you didn’t think that kid was actually supposed to be using the register anyway, it’s not your fault if he messes up. You get a free chocolate bar out of his mistake, so you're not going to complain.

Only later did you start to realize that maybe it wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t like it happened too often, but sometimes you’d get home and find something you definitely hadn’t bought in the bottom of your bag. You know it’s the kid, you're pretty sure you’ve heard his dad call him Karkat. You’ve caught sight of him slipping shit into your bag when his dad isn’t looking.

You think he’s even learned your routine, which you guess shouldn’t be too surprising, but it’s still weird. You came in early one day, because Bro was home early and it threw off your schedule and you needed to do something so you went to the store. He’d been surprised that you were there, and made sure to give you a cold apple juice from the ones he was stocking instead of one of the warm ones that were already out. 

You have no idea how to feel about this. 

Like, you like the random candy bars and gum and shitty little toys he gives you. Even though it messes up your routine it’s nice to find something you weren’t expecting sometimes. You’re fine with that whole part of it. 

It’s just that you have no idea why he’s doing this. You’ve barely said two words to him, you’ve never even told him your name. You don’t know if he wants something from you or what. It’s fucking weird and you don’t like it. 

After a while you decide that you want an answer. You don’t wanna talk to him while his dad’s there though. You don’t want to be the reason he gets in trouble if he’s not allowed to give things out left and right. So one day you head over, staying close enough to the store that you can see inside but they can’t really see you if they’re not looking. It’s nearly close when the owner guy finally leaves for a long enough time that you feel safe enough to go in and ask what’s up. 

The whole encounter leaves you even more confused, because he doesn’t seem to understand why you’re upset about this. Or maybe not upset but, ugh, weirded out you guess. To him none of this is even a big deal and you just don’t _understand._

You feel like you fucked up by saying anything. Now he’s got to think you’re weird. You tell yourself you don’t care what some random kid at the convenience store thinks about you. If he doesn’t give you free shit anymore, well that solves the problem you had in the first place. None of this actually matters, you should go about your day like you always do and fuck him if he wants to say anything about it.

Even still, when it comes time to do your routine and head out to the store you just. Don’t. You want to. You grab your money and put on your shoes and hoodie like you’re going to but then you stay in your room and don’t leave. You tell yourself that you’re gonna go tomorrow instead, but then tomorrow you end up in a strife with Bro that lasts until late and you figure it’s best to stay home again. 

You do that for a couple of weeks. After a bit you stop even putting your shoes on to pretend that you’re gonna go. You’re stuck in your apartment and tell yourself that it’s fine and none of it is shit you _need_ anyway. You watch as the smallest dent is made in your pile of bandages and it drives you up a wall. 

That’s what eventually gets you to give in and go back, the idea that you’re going to run out someday if you don't ever get more. It won’t be for a long time, you know that, but the idea of not having any if you need them is _terrifying._ And you just. You want your routine back. It’s stable and predictable and time you get to spend outside of your house and you don’t have a lot of any of that. 

You’re a bundle of nerves during the entire short walk, even though you know you shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t care. When you get to the store it’s the same as it was the last time you were here, like no time has passed at all. You take your apple juice, chips, and bandages up to the counter and don’t make eye contact with the Karkat kid while you pay and run out the door. 

You let out a sigh of relief once you’re back outside. That wasn’t too bad, you can handle rushing and keeping your head down if it means being able to keep your routine. You’re waiting for a chance to cross the busy highway when the shop door behind you opens and that Karkat kid is calling after you. You almost have a heart attack trying to figure out what you did until he’s telling you his dad messed up on your change. 

That doesn’t make much sense when you think about it. You guess you haven’t been there a while but he’s never messed up before and it’s always the same price. You wonder if this was some excuse to come out here and talk to you. 

Before you can get a chance to leave again he’s asking your name and there’s no reason not to give it to him. You don’t know what makes you do it, but the next thing you know you’re apologizing for before as well. You still don’t understand why he did it but you guess there wasn’t really any reason for you to get all weird about it either. He got weird first, but still. It’s not like you didn’t like the little gifts, and you tell him as much. 

You hesitate when he invites you to come back inside with him. You should head home. You have to do the rest of your routine. It’s already pretty late though, even if you do stay it won’t be any more than an hour or so before you gotta go back home anyway. You’ve got your things, and that’s the most important part anyway.

So you end up following him back into the shop, and you know the store like the back of your hand but the room he leads you into is completely unfamiliar and full of the extra stock and stuff. He leads you over to this corner where there’s an old little couch and a coffee table set up across from a beaten up TV. He turns it on and it’s pretty awkward, you aren’t sure if coming back here was a good idea or not. 

“Um, I’m not sure what’s on right now. We might have time to watch a movie or something before the store closes if you want,” Karkat says and you kind of shrug at him. You’re still debating if you should get up and leave honestly. 

“Sure, a movie sounds fine,” you tell him and watch as he gets up and starts rifling through a stack next to the TV you hadn’t noticed until now.

“So, do you live far from here? I mean, crossing the highway in the dark like you do all the time doesn’t sound safe,” he asks. It’s weird, it’s been forever since you’ve even considered the highway an issue. You just don’t run out like an idiot, you wait until there’s a gap and go. 

“No, it’s not far. It’s those apartment buildings right across the way,” you tell him. Karkat nods, seeming to have found a movie. 

“Here, this one’s not too long. You should let my dad drive you back after this. It’s not out of the way at all and it’s dangerous to be crossing a highway at night like this,” he says, and you take some time to consider it. It’s not a big deal, you’ve been doing it for as long as you’ve been coming over to this store, but you guess he has a point. 

“Maybe, if he doesn’t mind,” you say as he comes back over to the couch, the movie put in already. It looks like some sort of super cheesy rom com and you wonder if that’s all they have here or if he actually likes these kinds of movies. 

“Yeah no worries it’s not a problem,” Karkat assures you and you aren’t sure how much you believe him but it doesn’t do much to argue over it. You try and focus on the movie and it’s pretty dumb but honestly that’s what makes you like it. You’re not one for romance movies but it’s so stereotypical it’s funny, and it actually seems like Karkat likes it. That’s kinda funny too, he doesn’t seem like the type to like this stuff. 

You don’t talk much during the movie either, which helps. You’re kind of worried if you start talking you won’t be able to stop like you usually do. You’ll probably scare Karkat off if you did that. You’ve already acted weird enough around him. Even if you didn’t freak out about the little presents, he’s had to get some ideas about you. 

You wonder what he thinks about the stuff you’re always buying. You wonder why he’s bothered to even talk to you like this. 

You manage not to jump when the door to the back opens and Karkat’s dad sticks his head in. “Karkat, I’m going to start closing up soon. Does your friend want a ride home?” he asks the two of you. Karkat look over at you and you still aren’t sure if you want to, so you just shrug. 

“Yeah, it’s not far,” Karkat answers for you, and you guess you’re being driven home now. His dad nods and goes back to the front of the store. The movie is basically over at this point, he managed to time it pretty well. 

“Um, if you ever want to hang out or something again when you come here you can,” Karkat says after another moment, surprising you. “I mean, if you don’t want to too that’s fine, but it’s pretty fucking boring here a lot of the time so I don’t mind,” he continues. You guess that makes sense, him being all bored and junk. He never looks all that happy here after all. 

The idea of hanging out in this little back room and watching shitty movies with him after getting your stuff is suddenly really appealing. 

“Sure, I’m never doing anything, that sounds like fun,” you say and Karkat seems kinda happy about that. It isn’t long before his dad’s back and asking if you two are ready to leave. You watch as Karkat puts the movie away, still holding your bag of apple juice, chips, and bandages tight in your hands. He still went and messed up your routine, but you don’t think that it was completely bad that he did.

You’re quiet as you’re driven back to your apartment, and it’s a short drive but it’s nice not having to stand out in the cold wind waiting to cross the street. You don’t really know what to say when you get out of the car. 

“Uh, thanks for the ride home,” you settle with, and Karkat’s dad says it’s no problem and you might close the door a little faster than would be normal. When you head up into your room, you check your bag and put your things away. There’s nothing extra in there today, but that’s fine. It’s just nice to have your routine back. 

You think you’re gonna have to adjust it a bit in the future though. 

You think this new one sounds a lot better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so moonpaw17 requested the second chapter i mentioned writing oh so long ago so i finally managed to get it out! I'm glad i got the chance to write the second part of this, it's been in my head for a really long time now and it was fun to finally get it down. 
> 
> As always, I hope you liked it and please let me know what you think!!

**Author's Note:**

> Day three~ I used kidfic and I guess 'night' technically. This is actually a plotbunny i've had for a long time now so I was really glad to finally have an excuse to get it out. This has like, a 75% chance of getting a second chapter from Dave's POV, once davekatweek is over. 
> 
> As always thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!


End file.
